The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Cyprus, Colin Stewart, hosted the reception.
He called on everyone to focus and redouble their efforts to solve the Cyprus problem and said, “Support the two leaders in finding a way out of the current impasse. Now more than ever it’s time to be active”.
Also attending the reception were the wives of the two Cypriot community leaders Sibel Tatar and Philippa Karsera Christodoulides and former TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat. Former Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades was expected at the reception but did not attend.
Colin Stewart, expressed his pleasure in seeing the leaders of both communities together, despite the differences between the two sides.
He also said that it was pleasing that the two leaders had agreed on the candidate to be the UNSG’s Personal Representative in Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar and that the UN Secretary-General will announce her appointment shortly.
Stewart also expressed his belief that the appointment will re-direct attention to the Cyprus peace process. He stated that the UN will do its best to create a positive atmosphere in cooperation with both parties and to support the new representative.
Describing the committee work that the parties have agreed upon and put into practice in recent weeks, Stewart also touched upon the work initiated by the Economic and Commercial Issues, Environment, Culture, Publishing Technical Committees on nature, environment, culture-art, geological heritage, and Transition to Green Energy
Stewart also mentioned the collaborative work carried out by the Technical Committees on Gender Equality, Crisis Management, Health, Culture, Crime and Crime-Related Issues during the year, and stated that the Technical Committees on Education and Humanitarian Issues, which have not met in recent years and whose work has been interrupted, will also start working again this year.
